The Lost Princess
by Fiona Le Fay
Summary: The Doctor and Martha find the missing princess of a lost planet.
1. Prologue

"We can't out run them, captain!" cried one of the men.

"We have no other choice!" spat back the captain.

Men were running from control board to control board, trying in vain to stabilize the cargo ship. How stupid could they have been trespassing on another cargo ships territory. Any other cargo hauler would have considered what they did suicide. But they had no other choice and now they were being trailed. The ship shook with suddenly, causing men to crash from side to side.

"Captain, should we send a distress signal?"

The captain furrowed his brow. He didn't want to risk sending out a distress signal now. Not with the other ship trailing them so close that they could pick up the transmission. But, seeing as there was no means of escape, the captain bit his lip and nodded.

"Send it."


	2. Chapter 1: Disstress Signal

The Doctor burst through the doors of the TARDIS with Martha Jones hot on his heels. After she stumbled through the doors the Doctor quickly shut them. He then bounded for the TARDIS control panel and started flipping switches and pulling levers. The TARDIS shook as it materialized.

"What the hell was that?!" Martha gasped.

"That was feudal Japan!" announced the Doctor, half out of breath.

"Well I guess feudal Japan doesn't like us very much!" Martha replied wiping some sweat off her face.

"Oh come on, that wasn't all of feudal Japan!" the Doctor replied as he stabilized the TARDIS. "That was only the samurai of the emperor giving us a lovely, yet somewhat quick, tour of Japan's beautiful landscape."

Martha rose to her feet, visibly shaken. "You call that a _tour_?! They were chasing us Doctor!"

"Ok, so maybe feudal Japan wasn't the kind of place for a visit. Well, not now anyway." The Doctor chuckled and Martha shot him a look. She was just about to scold the Doctor when suddenly there was a beeping sound coming from the TARDIS.

"What's this then?" the Doctor said. Martha watched him as he scanned the screen. The Doctor made a grave face. Martha sensed something dangerous was going on.

"What is it, Doctor?"

The Doctor looked up from the screen with a sad look on his face. "It's a distress signal."


	3. Chapter 2: Arrival

The TARDIS materialized and the Doctor burst through the doors. Martha followed and smacked into the Doctor's back. She shook off the shock and looked around. They were in the midst of a sea of swarming people. Men darted every which way in a frenzy, occasionally bumping into each other. Martha looked up at the Doctor, who stood motionless. "Doctor, what's going on?"

"I'm not sure, but it looks bad." He replied. The Doctor grabbed a man who was running past them. "What's going on here?" the Doctor demanded.

The man looked at him in panic. "It's an attack!" he cried. "And, who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I received a distress signal." The Doctor cried over the commotion.

The man's eyes widened. "Oh! Come with me then. And hurry!"

The man led the Doctor and Martha through the sea of swarming men and into a maze of corridors. Martha struggled to keep up as the man took them deeper and deeper. Martha had no idea where they were or where they were headed, but she followed. Finally, after what it seemed hours in the maze of corridors, they arrived in a large room. It was just as chaotic as the other room. Men running around like chickens with their heads cut off. The man who was leading them took them to a large man who was in the middle of room barking orders.

"Captain, this man received our distress signal!"

The large man stopped and looked at the Doctor. "You received our signal?" he asked.

"Obviously, because if I didn't then I wouldn't be here. Now, what's going on and what can I do to help?" the Doctor said.

"Our ship is being attacked and we can't fight back or get away. And our shields are down." The large man replied.

"Well, what kind of ship is this then?" Martha spoke up.

The man looked at Martha, annoyed by her question. "It's a cargo ship!"

"Ok then." Martha said a bit hurt.

The man turned back to the Doctor. "Please, we need someone to repair the shields. Can you do that?"

The Doctor looked sternly at the man and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. "I'll do everything I can."


	4. Chapter 3: Captian Woolks

The Doctor ran to one of the control boards, sonic screwdriver in hand. He scanned the control panel and fiddled with the keys. Martha stood back and watched helplessly. She wanted to help desperately, but it looked like the Doctor didn't need her. And with the way that man had yelled at her, she didn't want to upset him any further. She watched as the Doctor ran from one control board to another, occasionally ordering the men to type this or scan that. Finally, the Doctor stationed a man at each control board.

"When I say three, each of you has to press the button I assigned you. Got it?" the Doctor said.

"Yes sir!" each man replied.

"One-two-THREE!" cried the Doctor.

With that, each of the men pressed their button. At first everything was silent. The ship didn't move. Then suddenly the power was back on and the lights shown as brightly as the sun.

"It worked!" some of the men cried.

"We're saved!" cried others.

The Doctor smiled a toothy grin, almost as if he knew that his plan was going to work. Martha caught her breath. The Doctor looked at her and opened his arms. She smiled and ran into his outstretched arms, hugging him tightly. The large man took a deep breath and wearily wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"I can't thank you enough for what you did." He said.

"All in a days work!" the Doctor replied triumphantly.

The man walked to where the Doctor and Martha stood with an outstretched hand. "I'm sorry I couldn't introduce myself earlier, but I'm Jonas Woolks and I'm the captain of this cargo ship."

The Doctor took his hand. "I'm the Doctor and this is Martha Jones."

"Doctor I must insist, as a token as my thanks, that you and your companion join me in celebrating our escape." Woolks insisted.

"Well, if it's no trouble, Martha and I would be honored." The Doctor replied.

"Wonderful!" Woolks exclaimed. "Now boys, get everything ready for our friends here! We all want to show them a good time!"

Martha groaned. She really didn't want to spend her time in the company of this Woolks fellow. After the way he had snapped at her she was ready to drag the Doctor by the collar of his coat back to TARDIS so that they could go to a friendlier place. But looking at how the Doctor was beaming after his heroic effort she decided that he deserved a little bit of the hero treatment. She watched as the men rushed to the exit. Some of the men were tall, others short. Some young, others old. But then one of the men caught her eye. He was short dressed in grass green cargo pants and a black tank top. He wore a red headband that kept some of his semi short, dark blue hair out of his face. He had brilliant green eyes with what looked like a tattoo of dark green dots under his right eye. As he passed he glanced up at Martha and they locked eyes. Martha suddenly felt her head start to thump. She closed here eyes trying not to concentrate on the pain. It was almost as if someone was digging inside her brain. She locked eyes with the boy again and his expression changed. He looked away quickly and darted ahead of the group and out of the room.


	5. Chapter 4: The Story

Woolks led the Doctor and Martha though the maze of corridors and into a larger room. Martha was amazed at how Woolks could move through the snug corridors. He was large and heavy set with jet black hair that was so long it blended with his beard. To Martha, he looked like a giant bear that could attack at any given moment. She kept this thought in mind as Woolks invited them to sit at a large table in the center of the room. Woolks sat at the head of the table with the Doctor on his right and Martha sitting next to the Doctor. Woolks barked orders to some men standing near the door; ordering them to bring food. After the men left and the room was empty, Woolks turned from bear to kitten.

"I'm so very gracious to you, Doctor." He gushed.

"It was nothing, really." The Doctor replied. "Now, I have one question."

"Yes?" Woolks asked.

"What is an innocent little cargo ship such as this being attacked? I mean, you're not much of a threat now are you?"

Woolks sighed. "You would think that, wouldn't you? Times change, Doctor. And they only change for the worst."

"How have things changed?" the Doctor asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Well, there was a time when a cargo ship could go from one drop off station to the next without being attacked or pillaged. You see cargo ship workers get payment only when they successfully transport their goods. How much you transport effects how much money is paid. Now there have always been ships that try to ambush and rob cargo ships…"

"What? Like pirates?" Martha broke in.

Woolks shot a look at Martha. He was obviously not happy about having his story interrupted. The bear was loose again.

"I _suppose_ you could say that." He hissed.

"Please, on with your story then Woolks." The Doctor coaxed.

Woolks settled down and his gaze rested on the Doctor.

"They are like pirates, I'll admit that. But, instead of just robbing and leaving it at that, they rob and then sell it back to us."

"Why would they do that?" Martha chanced.

"Ah. I see." The Doctor said. "They steal from you and, having that cargo of yours being your main form of income, they sell it back to you for twice of what you could get for it."

Woolks nodded.

Martha still didn't understand. "But, Doctor, that's just silly. Why don't they just take the cargo and run. I'm sure they could get more money if they sold it illegally instead of selling it back to the cargo ship. And after going though the trouble of robbing the ship in the first place."

"If my understanding is correct, and I'm sure it is" the Doctor went on ignoring Martha. "then your cargo must be…"

"Right." Woolks replied. "Each ships cargo is licensed. It has a mark that cannot be removed or duplicated. These 'pirates' steal our cargo and sells It back to us for a much larger sum."

"And what if you can't buy your cargo back?" Martha asked.

"Well, if we live though their attack, we either become their slaves or we have to leave some of our cargo with them. They can track us with the code, so they'll find us no matter what so they can get their money."

"So, were those things that we're chasing you 'pirates'?" asked Martha.

"Yes." Woolks replied solemnly. "They're a race of beings called the Firras. They ambushed us last time we traveled through their territory. They have some of our cargo and they want the rest of the money. We explained to them that we still didn't have enough money to pay them."

"I gather that's not what they wanted to hear." The Doctor said.

Woolks nodded. "I guess not. Before we knew it, they had disarmed our shields and were chasing us. If it wasn't for you Doctor, we probably would have been killed."

"I'm glad to be of service then." The Doctor replied with a small smile.

Dinner was soon served. Woolks and the Doctor ate their full, but Martha suddenly wasn't feeling very hungry…


	6. Chapter 5: The Dream

After dinner was finished, Woolks gave the Doctor and Martha the grand tour of his cargo ship. They saw room after room. Walked through corridor after corridor. They saw the now somewhat empty control room, the workers dinning hall, the engine room, and every other nook and cranny that Woolks could think of. While the Doctor took in their new surroundings, Martha wondered what had happened to that boy from the control room. Martha figured that he must have been no older then 16. But why would a 16 year old kid be working on a cargo ship that could be attacked at any moment? Martha thought. Normal 16 year olds usually were at home on the computer or gossiping with their friends, not working on a dangerous cargo ship. But what really stumped Martha was why she got that sudden headache and why it suddenly started when that boy looked at her.

Woolks finally led the Doctor and Martha to their room. After he bid them goodnight, Martha turned to the Doctor.

"Do we really have to stay here?" she asked.

"Woolks insisted." He replied plainly.

"Yeah, but, I dunno. I just don't…"

"Like him?" the Doctor finished.

"Yeah, kinda." Martha admitted.

"I know he seems like a brute, but we won't stay long, I promise." The Doctor said.

Martha made a small smile and then became serious again. "Doctor?"

"Mmmm?" the Doctor replied as he flopped down on one of the bunks.

"When we were in the control room after you helped with the shields and the men were leaving, I saw this kid."

"A kid. Hmmm." The Doctor replied looking up at the ceiling.

"And we locked eyes and then I got this insane headache. I dunno, it felt like someone was digging inside my brain or something."

At this the Doctor sat up. "A digging sensation?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah." Martha replied.

The Doctor thought hard. "Hmmm….well, I haven't got a clue!" he exclaimed.

Martha sighed and sat on her cot and stared intently at the floor.

The Doctor watched her for a few moments with a stern look on his face. After a while he rolled over on his cot and soon started to snore loudly. Martha stretched out on her cot. It was very uncomfortable and it made her long for her own bed at her apartment. For a few moments she stared at the ceiling and then drifted off to sleep. She had odd dreams that night. She dreamt about a girl. The girl was short and her skin was so pale it was almost transparent. She had long flowing dark blue hair and piercing green eyes with a tattoo of three dots under her right eye. She was wearing what looked to be like a flowing gown that looked remotely Greek; almost like what a goddess would wear. This girl had the most distraught look in her eyes…almost like she's seen horrible things. She held out her hand to Martha, but before she Martha could react, was being shaken awake. Martha woke with a start and looked around the dark room. The Doctor was standing above her shaking her awake. She saw the alarm in his eyes. "What is it Doctor." She asked in a worried voice.

"We're needed again, Martha." He replied.

"Wha?" she asked.

"It seems that we've been taken prisoner." The Doctor replied gravely.


	7. Chapter 6: Revelations

Martha ran down the corridors following the Doctor.

"Why can't we be taken prisoner in the morning?" she said.

They arrived at the control room. It was once again swarming with men with Captain Woolks in the middle of the room. He noticed the Doctor and motioned for him to come near.

"They have us in their energy field." Woolks explained. "They're draining our power source as we speak."

"Is it the pira-I mean the Firras?" Martha questioned.

"I'm afraid so." The Doctor replied.

Suddenly a large screen appeared in front of Woolks, the Doctor, and Martha. A green, scaly face peered back at the group. To Martha it looked like mutated lizard. The creature had dark green scales with ugly yellow eyes and no hair. It was growling, or at least it looked like it was growling to Martha, and when it opened its mouth she could see rows and rows of white pointed teeth. From what Martha could see, it looked to be wearing a deep purple jumpsuit. When the creature started to speak it sounded gritty and rough.

"Woolks, were is my money?" it asked.

"Belsmath, I told you last time, we still don't have enough to give you yet." Woolks replied.

"Liar!" the creature named Belsmath cried.

"It is the truth!" Woolks replied. "We need to make this last delivery and I swear to you we will return and give you the rest!"

"I'm tired of your empty promises!" Belsmath hissed. "You may have gotten away last time, but now I have you in my ship's energy field. It's impossible for you to escape now!"

The Doctor stepped forward. "Is it possible for a negotiation?" he asked.

Belsmath glared at the Doctor. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor. And I see no reason why we can't negotiate."

"Mind your own business!" Belsmath spat.

"I'm making this my business!" the Doctor returned. "You still have Woolks cargo. If you let him go he can collect his payment and bring it back to you. And if he doesn't, you'll be able to find him again using the codes on the cargo you stole. I see nothing wrong with letting his ship go."

Belsmath scowled at the Doctor. "How dare you meddle in our affairs! It matters not if we let this ship go. We will capture them again and we will be fed the same lies of how they still don't have enough payment. We need more slaves and this ship carries many men…they will make fine slaves!"

"NO!" the Doctor cried.

"Tiny being!" Belsmath roared. Suddenly the ship violently shook. Men were thrown from side to side. Many of them were trying to scurry to the exit in order to save themselves. The Doctor held on to Martha so she wouldn't be caught up in the sea of escaping men. After the panic was over and most of the men out of the control room, the Doctor helped Martha up to her feet. It seemed that they were the only ones left in the room. Woolks had mysteriously disappeared in the crowd. Martha looked around. It seemed that they weren't the only ones left in the room. There, standing in front of the screen, was the blue haired boy. He was standing there, fists clenched, glaring at Belsmath. Belsmath cackled happily.

"Look at how they ran!" he cried with delight. "Little weak beings!"

The Doctor was just about to say something but was interrupted by a small, light voice.

"Hey, ugly!"

Belsmath looked to where the voice was coming from. It was the boy. He was still glaring with fury.

"You dare insult me?!" Belsmath cried. He locked eyes with the boy.

"Yes, I do." The boy said.

Martha suddenly noticed a change in the boy' face. He was looking Belsmath dead in the eyes, not blinking once. The odd thing was that his eyes started to get brighter and brighter. Martha looked up at the Doctor. He was staring intently at the boy with a hard look on his face, studding his every move. Martha looked back at Belsmath and noticed that his face was changing also. His eyes became very large and his mouth hung open.

"Now," the boy continued in a dreamy voice. "You will take your ship and you will leave us alone. You will go back to your planet and you won't ever bother us for money again. Understand?"

"Yes. I understand fully." Belsmath replied in a state like tone. And with that the screen vanished and the Doctor, Martha, and the boy were alone. The boy took a deep breath.

"That should keep them away for a while." He said.

"What in the hell was that?" Martha asked.

"That was mind control." The Doctor replied not taking his gaze off the boy.

Martha looked at the boy. Suddenly she realized that he looked familiar. She imagined him with longer hair and lighter skin and a goddess like demeanor. She gasped. "It's you! The girl from my dream!"

The girl gave Martha a weak smile.

The Doctor looked intensely at the being. "Who are you?" he asked.

The girl straightened herself up and narrowed her eyes.

"I am Nerasopha Acciolatora. The last princess of the Alatorians."


	8. Chapter 7: The Lost Princess

The Doctor's eyes widened. "No, it's not possible. Your planet is…"

"Destroyed." Nerasopha finished.

"And your people…" the Doctor continued.

"Dead, yes." The small girl said.

Martha looked from the Doctor to the girl. "Doctor? What's going on?"

"Alatorians. One of the most advanced races in the universe." The Doctor replied still looking at the girl. "But it's just not possible. I mean, you were attacked by…"

"The Zigors, yes." She replied sorrowfully. "They destroyed my planet and killed my people. My sisters, my mother, my father; all dead."

"Wha? Who are the Zigors? What happened?" Martha asked.

"The Zigors are a primitive race. Slimy little leaches they are…no, seriously they're leeches. They like to go to planets that have inhabitants with advanced knowledge. While there, they attach themselves on any living being that has a high intellect sucking the knowledge, and life, right out of them. Horrible and painful way to die, I might add."

The girl sighed. "My people were considered one of the most advanced beings in the universe. We were wonderful architects and builders. Amazing scientists and inventors. We had a peaceful existence…until the Zigors came. At first we didn't know why people suddenly started dying. My father thought that it was a disease that was passing through the land, nothing to be too concerned about. But he was wrong. More and more people started dying. The planet was in complete chaos. No one knew what was going on and why perfectly healthy people were dying so suddenly. It wasn't until our doctors discovered small holes that appeared to be puncture wounds on the back of the skulls of dead Alatorians. We knew exactly what was the cause of the deaths with this discovery…the Zigors. But before we could act, my father became ill. A Zigor had attached itself to him and he was withering away. My mother and sisters, unfortunately were also infected. I had to watch as my sisters and parents decayed before my eyes. I had to watch as our great civilization crumbled. I was helpless. I managed to stay healthy and I took one of our escape pods. I got away from the destruction and death, but the things I witnessed will stay with me forever."

"Ah, you poor girl." The Doctor sighed.

The girl's eyes were wet with tears. "I couldn't save them." She choked. "So, I ran like a coward. Eventually I ended up at a cargo ship depot. In order for me to survive and to try to start a new life for myself, I cut my hair and disguised myself as a boy so that I could work on one of the ships. Captain Woolks employed me and before I knew it I had started my new life."

Martha wiped away tears from her eyes. "Your whole family and planet whipped out because of some stupid leech things. Horrible. But what's with the whole 'messin with my brain' thing. And givin me those dreams."

"I sensed something in you, Martha Jones." Nerasopha answered. "I read your mind and discovered that you were a doctor. I figured that you had a good head on your shoulders so I sent you an image of the 'real' me. I concluded that you'd figure the rest out."

"But how? I mean, how can you read minds" Martha asked.

"I can answer that one!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Alatorians have such an advanced intellect, they can tap into the corners of the mind that only a being of complex thought can access. Quite remarkable!"

"But why dig around in my brain? Why didn't you send your message to the Doctor? He is…well…the Doctor." Martha said.

Nerasopha tilted her head to one side. "I could't read his mind." She said. "He's…different."

The Doctor smiled. "That's right! I'm one of a kind!"

"Yes, you are Time Lord." The small girl replied.

The Doctor looked at her seriously.

She smiled. "Don't worry, Doctor. I only know this because Martha knew of your…history."

"Hey! That's private!" Martha said.

"I know it was wrong to dig that deep. But I just had to know who this Doctor fellow was and how he was able to get the ship away from the Firras so…easily."

"Why?" the Doctor asked. "They seem like a simple minded race. Just give them what they want and they'll leave ya alone."

Nerasopha shook her head solemnly. "They appear that way. But you have no idea what they're capable of."

"Well, it looks like they won't be bothering us anymore. After what cha did with the whole 'mind control' thing." Martha said.

Suddenly the ship shook again, and Martha realized that she spoke too soon.


End file.
